The issue of short-visit boaters going back and forth between the Bahamas and U.S. without clearing in and out would seem to be one that both jurisdictions need to address. If there are a large number of people doing this, the security implications are large. LE simply ignoring traffic in and out of seaports makes all the fuss and inconvenience for travelers in airports and borders seem useless if boats can slip in and out at will.

The Florida "Local Boater" option addresses this somewhat on the US side. Maybe the Bahamas need to do something similar. If people have to jump through a lot of hoops to clear in and out, they simply will not do it if they want to spend a day or two in the Bahamas. Making the process easier and being serious about enforcement would probably solve the problem. It would also likely increase the number of people going over/revenue for the Bahamas.

The issue of short-visit boaters going back and forth between the Bahamas and U.S. without clearing in and out would seem to be one that both jurisdictions need to address. If there are a large number of people doing this, the security implications are large. LE simply ignoring traffic in and out of seaports makes all the fuss and inconvenience for travelers in airports and borders seem useless if boats can slip in and out at will.

The Florida "Local Boater" option addresses this somewhat on the US side. Maybe the Bahamas need to do something similar. If people have to jump through a lot of hoops to clear in and out, they simply will not do it if they want to spend a day or two in the Bahamas. Making the process easier and being serious about enforcement would probably solve the problem. It would also likely increase the number of people going over/revenue for the Bahamas.

Again, who says the people visiting the new casino in Bimini are being permitted to come and go at will?

The current cruising permit is good for 4 people per boat, and allows multiple visitation... For fishermen or gamblers shuttling back and forth between FL and Bimini, amortizing the expense of a permit over a number of trips, and perhaps sharing it between the people on board, the cost of entry would amount to a small fraction of the fuel used to run over and back, or dockage, etc... Hell, it wouldn't surprise me if the casino gives anyone who shows a cruising permit a complimentary stack of chips to start playing with. Why are people assuming these visitors are being given a free pass?

"Making the process easier and being serious about enforcement would probably solve the problem."
Good idea, smurph. I'm glad to hear you're in favor of invasion and conquest, please let that buffoon Schumer know bout it so we can save more money by having the troops coming back from the middle east just stop directly in the Bahamas for the pacification project.
We could easily make the Bahamas into a second Puerto Rico and, even better yet, Bahamian sounds a lot like English!

No need for the young bucks. I am completely confident, with a couple of my old out of shape buddies, we could take and hold any given Bahamian out island. I've looked around and considered it many times.

Again, who says the people visiting the new casino in Bimini are being permitted to come and go at will?

The current cruising permit is good for 4 people per boat, and allows multiple visitation... For fishermen or gamblers shuttling back and forth between FL and Bimini, amortizing the expense of a permit over a number of trips, and perhaps sharing it between the people on board, the cost of entry would amount to a small fraction of the fuel used to run over and back, or dockage, etc... Hell, it wouldn't surprise me if the casino gives anyone who shows a cruising permit a complimentary stack of chips to start playing with. Why are people assuming these visitors are being given a free pass?

It seems that the apparent 'friction' between the residents of North Bimini and Bimini Bay Resort has further escalated as even the BBR website now lists that EVERYONE must first stop and 'clear in' at AliceTown before proceeding to the 'resort'. No mention of the clearance procedure for the new SuperFast cruise ship (twice daily MiamióBimini) operated by the resort ... and there certainly is no adequate dock space in AliceTown for a boat of that size; it presently has to 'anchor out' and transfer its passengers the old fashioned way.

"Making the process easier and being serious about enforcement would probably solve the problem."
Good idea, smurph. I'm glad to hear you're in favor of invasion and conquest, please let that buffoon Schumer know bout it so we can save more money by having the troops coming back from the middle east just stop directly in the Bahamas for the pacification project.
We could easily make the Bahamas into a second Puerto Rico and, even better yet, Bahamian sounds a lot like English!

I like it! The advantages are numerous:
1. Our soldiers can get rid of all that desert gear and we could outfit them in Bermuda shorts, flower print shirts, sandals and a straw hat.
2. They could drop their guns and pick up fishing poles.
3. We could replace destroyers and aircraft carriers with Gunboats (gotta keep that military theme going). We could use pocket cruisers for patrol boats.
4. No more soldier deaths or injuries.
5. Reduced defense spending.
6. And of course, lower entry fees for boaters.

I like it! The advantages are numerous:
1. Our soldiers can get rid of all that desert gear and we could outfit them in Bermuda shorts, flower print shirts, sandals and a straw hat.
2. They could drop their guns and pick up fishing poles.
3. We could replace destroyers and aircraft carriers with Gunboats (gotta keep that military theme going). We could use pocket cruisers for patrol boats.
4. No more soldier deaths or injuries.
5. Reduced defense spending.
6. And of course, lower entry fees for boaters.

It's a win-win-win!

Is this the Gunboat you were talking about? I think it has been tested for working in the Bahamas....

Again, who says the people visiting the new casino in Bimini are being permitted to come and go at will?

I suggested that might be happening - enforcement in Bimini is most certainly not stringent, so I'd suspect it is occurring. Correction - I know it's happening as I know of one boat that did not clear in while I was in Bimini - if there's one, I would suspect there's more.

To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 10 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. Cuba - Forbidden Paradise To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 10 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.

To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 10 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.

To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 10 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.

By choosing to post the reply above you agree to the rules you agreed to when joining Sailnet.
Click Here to view those rules.

Register Now

In order to be able to post messages on the SailNet Community forums, you must first register. Please enter your desired user name, your email address and other required details in the form below.Please note: After entering 3 characters a list of Usernames already in use will appear and the list will disappear once a valid Username is entered.

User Name:

Password

Please enter a password for your user account. Note that passwords are case-sensitive.

Password:

Confirm Password:

Email Address

Please enter a valid email address for yourself.

Email Address:

Log-in

User Name

Remember Me?

Password

Human Verification

In order to verify that you are a human and not a spam bot, please enter the answer into the following box below based on the instructions contained in the graphic.